Smashing Pumpkins File Suit Against Virgin

Billy Corgan and company have decided to sue Virgin Records, their former label. The suit entails that Virgin endorsed and sponsored a worldwide promotional marketing campaign by Amazon.com and Pepsi for both companies to promote and sell Amazon and Pepsi products for financial profit without the band’s permission. Smashing Pumpkins are demanding a full and complete accounting of all funds received by Virgin pursuant to the Pepsi promotion and an award of punitive damages against Virgin in an amount according to proof.

In a statement, Billy Corgan repined, “We fought hard for the right to be in control of how our music is used, to avoid situations like this kind of crass commercialism and exploitation. Labels like EMI are no longer running the show, and we won’t be bullied by those in the ‘old’ music business who consider every artist to be easily expendable. Those days are over.”